The American Cancer Society reports that there were 60,280 new cancer cases in Illinois last year alone. Illinois is one of only a few states to have such a high rate of new cancer cases.

The number of people who catch the flu this year also may be higher because of the shortage of flu shots.

Allergies, sore throats, high blood pressure, diabetes, migraines, burns – all of these are health problems most of us have experienced before and likely will experience many more times.

Medical doctors usually prescribe some synthetic conventional medicine to temporarily relieve the symptoms of these health problems.

However, in many cases, there is a better alternative.

It’s called naturopathic medicine, and it aims to “treat disease and restore health using clinical nutrition, herbal medicine (phytotherapy or botanical medicine), homeopathy, physical medicine (including forms of manipulation), hydrotherapy, counseling and stress management,” as Naturopathic Physician Dr. Pamela Taylor of Moline writes on her Web site.

Naturopathic medicine dates back 2,400 years ago with the Greek physician Hippocrates, according to natural healing information Web site www.naturalhealers.com.

Hippocrates taught that nature is the healer of all diseases. The Web site also states that indigenous cultures around the world have used “the healing power of nature” for generations.

For example, simple spices such as ginger, cloves and oregano as well as garlic and chamomile, among others, have properties that give them medicinal significance in certain doses.

But there is some bad news.

The state of Illinois does not license naturopathic doctors like Taylor.

Therefore, naturopathic doctors are prohibited from diagnosing, exercising prescription rights or ordering certain laboratory procedures in the state.

“Having no licensing law also prohibits insurance coverage for clients who seek otherwise qualified natural health care,” Taylor said.

The residents of Illinois thus are limited in their choices of health care. It’s conventional medicine or no medicine – even if alternatives are proven to work, as many natural healing alternatives have been.

It is reprehensible that there are cures Mother Nature has given us that indigenous peoples around the world have used for generations – and that actually may work better than some of our own synthetic medicines – yet naturopathic doctors cannot practice like conventional medical doctors do in Illinois.

Now, it’s the right of residents to have the freedom to choose what kind of medical care they want to relieve their health problems and feel better. Government regulation and a refusal to license should not be in the way of making the public healthier, naturally.

I urge you to write a letter, e-mail or telephone our state representative, Bob Pritchard, and ask him to support the licensing of naturopathic doctors. That’s what public servants are there to do: serve the public.

Limiting Illinoisans to conventional medicine when there are better, natural, treatments available is a great disservice.

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.